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| Social Communication |
3 Steps To Becoming The Best Social Communicator
The
world is moving at a steady pace. The advent of digital has revolutionised the
way people do business. The way businesses do business. Digital has found its
place of comfort in communication and marketing. Calling upon the need for
business leaders/founders to socialize their businesses.
At
the forefront of digital, we have the social web. According to PR daily, ‘In
less than 10 years, social media has become communication professionals’ best
friend and fickle foe. With relative ease, customers can be targeted, support
can be organized, discussions can flourish, and grievances can be aired with
ease.’
This
creates the need for all of us in the discipline to hone our social
communication skills. How do we deliver upon the promises of organizing support
to customers having difficulty: contribute to discussions online and address
customer grievances in real time? By learning how to be good social
communicators.
To
be one, you need to work on the following:
Creatively Respond To
Positive Feedback
People
like to be praised. It bolsters their self-esteem. The same is true of businesses in the social realm. Many a times, when all is said and done, we all expect
good feedback. Especially when we have made the effort to reach out. It could
be positive feedback, about your service delivery and or quality of products.
When
it happens, take time to respond to that feedback. Bottom line:always
respond. Be creative; mention the source in the post/comment. Acknowledge their
contribution in pushing the brands equity a notch higher. Make them know that
there contribution is valued.
Deal With Negative Feedback
Quickly and Appropriately
This
is what we fear most. Being put down. It happens to most of us during the
course of our lives. In our personal lives, we are even allowed to take it
personally. However, in a business set-up do not ever take this personally.
Especially negative feedback.
Suppose,
a customer posts a negative comment regarding your services: do not respond by
telling him to go get the service elsewhere. As was the case with Kenya Power
& Lighting Company (kplc) January 21st: during a total blackout in some
counties. On one twitter handle, a user posted his frustration of staying in
the dark. The social team at KPLC, response chose to respond by telling the
user to try other lighting sources such as candles, lamps, etc. It was a
nightmare, if no one noticed. Thanks to monopoly the user could not move. If
there were other service providers, don’t you think the user could have jumped
ship?
Instead,
try something like promising to address the issue by either giving him a refund
and or internally, find out what led to the negative feedback exactly. Give
them assurance that something is being done to remedy and or rectify the
situation to normalcy.
Remember,
always be timely. A complaint responded to 3 days later would have done
irreparable harm. Avoid this.
Make Social A Resource for
Your Customers and Not Yourself
Go
on the social web, with the intention to give, give and give some more. Make it
you mission to give useful information to your audience, round the clock.
Post
alert when you suspect the roads would flood. Notify users of the promotion
going on and if possible give them a reward, such a coupon. Do not tire to
give.
Offers,
promotions, product launches, the whole shebang. By giving and giving some
more, you increase your chances of not only getting deserving repeat customers
but also, loyal customers who will go out of their own way to evangelize your
product and or services.
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